


Nightmares

by XFangHeartX



Series: One Piece Prompts [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Fear, Friendship, Gen, Heartwarming, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 13:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14955729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XFangHeartX/pseuds/XFangHeartX
Summary: In which Luffy has a nightmare and the Straw Hats do what they can to help.





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> One Piece © Oda
> 
> Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, and Kumi © Me

 Night on the  _Thousand Sunny_. The sea was calm, the night air was peaceful, the stars twinkled in the sky. Everything was right with the world…almost everything.  
  
 It all started when Nami was sleeping in bed with Luffy…but as she shifted to one side of the bed, instead of the warmth of her captain’s body, she only felt the silk sheets, ruffled and slightly damp with sweat. The navigator blinked her eyes awake, her vision blurry in the dark, but as she turned on the lamp next to her, she gasped upon seeing that Luffy’s space is empty. She gasped in surprise before looking around, but tried not to panic.  
  
 ‘Maybe he just went to use the bathroom,’ she thought as she got out of bed, put on her robe, and headed out the door. As she did, a certain white wolf-dog, roused from his sleep by Nami switching on the light, followed after her.  
_  
‘What’s Luffy up to, now?’_  he thought.  
  
 Nami stopped at Aika’s bedroom, first, just to be sure on something. She opened the door a crack to peer inside. She saw Aika, lying in her bed, asleep, with Kumi curled up in her own bed next to her, and the various stuffed animals and toys lying around the room.  
  
 “Not in here,” Nami whispered.  
  
 “Mmm…Big Sis…?”  
  
 The navigator gasped silently upon hearing that soft voice as Aika sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily.  
  
 “Oh, Aika, I’m sorry, honey,” Nami said. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I was just looking for your brother. Did he come in here, earlier?”  
  
 “Yeah, before I went to bed,” Aika answered. “Remember? He tucked me in and-”  
  
 “I’m not talking about at bedtime, Aika,” Nami corrected. “I meant like a few minutes ago.”  
  
 “Oh,” Aika realized. “Uhh…no. Do you want me to help you look for him?”  
  
 “Oh, Aika, it’s okay,” Nami said. “You don’t have to. Just go back to sleep, all right?”  
  
 “But I’m awake, now,” Aika answered. “So is Kumi.”  
  
 The pre-mentioned Akita pup yawned as she sat up.  
  
 “Well, okay,” Nami said. “Come on.”  
  
 Aika pushed the covers off of herself and followed after Nami with Kumi padding along after them.  
  
 Soon, the girls and Blizzard made it outside to the deck, looking around for their captain.  
  
 “Where could he be?” Nami asked, looking around, only to find nothing but the lawn. However, she noticed that one of the doors leading to the toilet was open, so perhaps Luffy was in there for…or it could’ve been Brook, too. Even he had to use the toilet, once in a while.  
  
 “Big Brother?” Aika called out, but not too loudly. She didn’t want to wake everyone else up, after all.  
_  
“Hey, Luffy? Where are you?”_  Blizzard asked. _“You hear me?”  
_  
  _“Boy, if I didn’t know better,”_  Kumi started,  _“I’d almost think Luffy doesn’t wanna be found.”  
_  
 As Nami looked around, she suddenly heard a small sniffling sound.  
  
 “What in the…?” she whispered before she headed to the figurehead, Blizzard, Aika, and Kumi following after her. There, they found the very man they were looking for: Luffy, sitting on the figurehead, staring out towards the horizon, his arms wrapped around himself.  
  
 “Luffy?” Nami asked in concern, causing the Straw Hat Captain to jump slightly in surprise as he turned to face her.  
  
 “Oh!” he exclaimed. “H-hey, Nami.”  
  
 Nami gasped silently upon seeing what looked like dark circles under the captain’s eyes, as well as small tear stains.  
  
 “Luffy…have you been crying?” asked the navigator.  
  
 “N-no,” Luffy lied. “What makes think I was crying?”  
  
 “Luffy, I can see it all over your face,” Nami argued. “What’s wrong?”  
  
 “…It’s nothing, okay?” Luffy replied.  
  
 “Luffy, I’m serious!” Nami chided. “Don’t you try to lie to me because I know when you’re lying!”  
  
 “Nami, I-” Luffy started, but then Aika appeared next to Nami.  
  
 “Please, tell us what’s wrong, Big Brother?” Aika asked. “Please?”  
  
 A pause…but then Luffy sighed.  
  
 “…I…I had a nightmare,” he said.  
  
 “What?!” Nami questioned. “Oh, no…was it about Ace, again?”  
  
 “…For once, not this time,” Luffy answered.  
  
 ‘Well, that’s a relief,’ Nami thought. ‘Still…I wonder what he dreamt about, this time.’  
  
 “What happened, Big Brother?” Aika asked, worming her way into Luffy’s lap.  
  
 “…Oh, Aika,” Luffy said, petting her head gently. “It might be too much, even for you.”  
  
 “Luffy, you can’t just keep this bottled up inside,” Nami urged. “It’ll be best if you told somebody.”  
  
 Luffy only sighed in response, causing Nami to knit her brow in slight frustration, but she wouldn’t give up.  
  
 “Aika,” she said. “Can you take Luffy to the Aquarium Bar?”  
  
 “Okay,” Aika answered before she took her older half-brother by the hand and led him off to the Aquarium Bar while Kumi waddled along after them.  
  
 “Blizzard,” Nami said to the wolf-dog. “I need you to help me wake the others.”  
**  
***Timeskip brought to you by Hawk the Pig (from The Seven Deadly Sins) eating scraps*****  
  
 Luffy sat in the Aquarium Bar with Aika, who was eating a macadamia nut cookie that Sanji had made earlier today. Kumi sat at the captain’s feet, looking at him worriedly and even whimpered as she rubbed her face against Luffy’s ankle, prompting him to gently pet the pup on her head.  
  
 Just then, Nami came in, along with Blizzard, Zoro, Sanji, Robin, Usopp, Franky, Brook, and Chopper.  
  
 “Guys?” Luffy asked. “What’s going on?”  
  
 “You, that’s what,” Sanji answered. “Nami says you had a nightmare.”  
  
 “Nami, you had to tell everyone?” Luffy asked. “Seriously, it’s no big deal.”  
  
 “‘No big deal’, my ass,” Nami countered. “Luffy, we know something’s bothering you.”  
  
 “Yeah, Luffy,” Usopp added. “You always helped us whenever we had nightmares. Why can’t we help you?”  
  
 “I’m the Captain,” Luffy answered. “You guys aren’t supposed to worry about me. I’m supposed to worry about all of you.”  
  
 “I call bull,” Zoro spoke up. “That’s completely asinine and you know it.”  
  
 “Zoro,” Robin chided.  
  
 “No, Robin,” Nami said. “For once, Zoro’s right.”  
  
 “It would do you some good to talk about your nightmare, Mister Luffy,” Brook said.  
  
 “It’s fine,” Luffy answered.  
  
 “Here,” Sanji said as he put something in front of Luffy: a plate with a slice of cake and a fork to eat it with. “Maybe a snack will help you out.”  
  
 “…I am a little hungry,” Luffy admitted as he took a bite.  
  
 “At least that hasn’t changed,” Franky said.  
_  
“You wanna talk, now?”_ Blizzard asked.  
  
 “…Not really,” Luffy answered.  
  
 “Luffy, it’s okay,” Robin assured. “You can tell us. Really.”  
  
 “You know we’re not trying to judge you, man,” Franky added.  
  
 “You’ll feel better when you tell us,” Chopper piped up.  
  
 “Please, Big Brother?” Aika asked. “Pretty please?”  
  
 “Yeah, just tell us so we can go back to sleep,” Kumi added.  
  
 “Kumi!” Blizzard scolded.  
  
 “What?!” Kumi asked. “It’s 2 in the morning and I’m tired!!”  
  
 “I had a nightmare about you guys.”  
  
 Everyone looked at the captain in surprise as he spoke up, looking at his empty plate as he gripped his fork.  
  
 “About us?” Nami repeated, concerned.  
  
 “…Akainu was there,” Luffy said. “He attacked us…out of nowhere.”  
  
 Aika whimpered fearfully upon hearing those details, not that anyone could blame her. Her memories of Akainu weren’t exactly pleasant either. Still, she decided not to say anything, for right now, her brother was what mattered.  
  
 “Well…you fought back, right?” Franky asked.  
  
 “I…I couldn’t,” Luffy said, his breathing beginning to hitch. “Akainu…in my dream, he was…he was huge, okay?! Like taller than Mingo! It was like he was rose out of the sea!”  
  
 “What?!” Nami questioned.  
  
 “I tried everything…but nothing fazed him!” Luffy continued. “Then…I dunno…I just froze…and one-by-one…he took you all out. He melted you all down with his magma powers, just like he did to Ace! And then…then…he turned on me…!”  
  
 “…And that’s when you woke up,” Nami realized.  
  
 “Y-yeah,” Luffy answered.  
  
 “Has this…happened before?” Usopp asked.  
  
 “…It’s been going on for couple of weeks, actually,” Luffy answered.  
_  
“That long?!”_  Blizzard questioned.  _“Luffy, you should say something when you’ve been having nightmares for that long! What’s wrong with you?!”  
_  
 “Blizzard, take it easy on him,” Chopper said.  
  
 “I don’t get it, though,” Zoro said. “Why didn’t you fight back?”  
  
 “…Because I was afraid,” Luffy answered.  
  
 “Afraid of Akainu?” Robin asked.  
  
 “Yeah,” Luffy replied, his voice beginning to break. “Guys…when I last saw him, two years ago…he was lunging right at me. If Ace hadn’t been there…he really would’ve killed me.” He then gripped his head. “Guys…I don’t just hate Akainu…I’m absolutely terrified of him!”  
  
 “…Oh, Luffy,” Nami whispered.  
  
 “Now I know I’m gonna kill Akainu,” Blizzard hissed.  
  
 “Luffy, relax,” Zoro said, putting his hand on his captain’s shoulder. “It was just a dream.”  
  
 “That’s what I said when I dreamt about Ace’s death, but that happened anyway!!” Luffy shouted, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. “This time, it could be different…Akainu may not be able to turn 10 feet tall, but dammit, that doesn’t I can’t be afraid!! What if I actually do freeze up when I see Akainu again?! You could all die…because I was too scared to protect you!”  
  
 On that, the Straw Hat Captain broke down in tears, causing everyone to look at him worriedly. To see their captain, the one who always fought hard to protect them and their dreams, the one they believed would become the next Pirate King break down crying like this…it was more than enough to break their own hearts.  
  
 Without a single word, Aika crawled up into Luffy’s lap and wrapped her arms around him, causing him to embrace her in return. Kumi and Chopper also followed her lead, sitting in the captain’s lap and worming their way into the hug. Blizzard whined as he placed his head on Luffy’s knee while Nami hugged Luffy from the right side and Robin hugged from the left. Zoro had one hand on the captain’s head, Sanji placed his hand on Luffy’s left shoulder and Usopp laid claim to the right shoulder with his palm. Finally, Franky embraced the group from behind while Brook took the front.  
  
 “What am I gonna do?” Luffy asked, hiccupping. “W…what am I supposed to do?!”  
  
 “…Look, Luffy,” Zoro said. “We don’t know what’ll happen…but we know this much: you won’t just sit by, pissing your pants when one of us are in danger.”  
  
 “But-” Luffy started.  
  
 “He’s right,” Sanji spoke. “It won’t happen…because we all you know you won’t let it happen.”  
  
 “Luffy, you might be afraid of Akainu,” Nami began, “but you can’t let him see that.”  
  
 “If he sees that you’re afraid of him, then you let him win,” Usopp added. “It’s the very thing he hopes for.”  
  
 “Maybe you are afraid of him,” Robin began, “but that doesn’t mean you won’t fight back when the time comes.”  
_  
“We’ve seen how you are,”_ Blizzard chimed in. _“No matter how scared you get, you always manage to push away your fear and strike back.”  
_  
 “Yeah!” Aika exclaimed. “You’re the bravest Big Brother, ever!”  
  
 “…You guys really think so?” Luffy asked.  
  
 “We know so!” Franky answered. “Trust us, Akainu will think twice before messing with us.”  
  
 “That’s right!” Brook declared. “We know that if he makes any attempt on us, you’d be right there to defend us in a heartbeat!”  
  
 “Don’t be afraid of him, Luffy,” Chopper said. “Okay?”  
  
 A pause…but then Luffy smiled.  
  
 “Thanks, everybody,” he said. “Seriously…I don’t know what I’d do without you.”  
  
 “We don’t always need protecting, Luffy,” Nami replied.  
_  
“Yeah!”_  Kumi agreed.  _“Sometimes, we have to protect you, too!”  
_  
 “Shishishishi!” Luffy laughed at this.  
  
 “We’ll always be here for you, captain,” Sanji said. “Just like you’ll always be here for us.”  
  
 “Don’t forget that, all right?” Robin asked.  
  
 “I won’t,” Luffy answered. “Never again.”  
  
 “So you ready to go back to sleep now?” asked Zoro.  
  
 “Ooh!” Aika chirped. “I have an idea!”  
**  
***Timeskip brought to you by Ban and Meliodas fighting*****  
  
 Later, everyone has gathered in the Aquarium Bar, sitting on cushions on the floor and curled up under their blankets. Aika suggested that Luffy might sleep better if he was surrounded by the things he loved…or in this case, the crew he loved.  
  
 “This was a very nice idea, Aika,” Nami said, causing the young D. Carrier to giggle.  
  
 “Is everyone comfortable?” Robin asked, and the only response she got was Zoro snoring.  
  
 “That’s a yes,” Sanji smirked, causing everyone to laugh softly, but then Luffy yawned.  
  
 “Well…goodnight everybody,” he said. “Sweet dreams.”  
  
 “Goodnight, Luffy,” the Straw Hats replied.  
  
 “Goodnight, Big Brother,” Aika said as she kissed Luffy on the cheek. “I love you.”  
  
 “I love you, too, Aika,” Luffy answered as he held the 6-year-old in his arms, and soon after, he and the others drifted off into slumber.  
_  
~Dream Sequence~_  
  
 The sky was black with dark clouds and red lightning bolts striking the sea. The Straw Hat Pirates stood on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, all of them in fighting stances, as the ocean began to shake and boil. Soon, something rose up from the beneath its depths, towering over the ship.  
  
 It is soon revealed to be a giant Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, otherwise known as Akainu, glowering down at the Straw Hats while Luffy just glared up at him.  
  
 “Akainu…!” Luffy hissed.  
  
 “Son of Dragon,” Akainu said, his voice booming. “You won’t defeat me. True justice will always prevail. Once I’m done with you…your sister and your little friends are next.”  
  
 “Says you, Akainu!” Luffy barked. “I won’t lose to someone like you! I’ll protect my crew, no matter what you say…and then I’ll be King of the Pirates!”  
  
 Hearing this caused Akainu to cackle, his voice shaking the sky.  
  
 “You, King of the Pirates?” he asked. “How do you expect to do that? You’re not even wearing pants!”  
  
 A pause…but then Luffy smirked.  
  
 “No, Akainu,” he said. “You’re the one who’s not wearing pants.”  
  
 Akainu gasped before he looked down and covered his legs with his hands.  
  
 “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” he roared before he sank back down into the sea. At that moment, the clouds disappeared, revealing the blue, sunny sky, and the Straw Hats cheered as they surrounded their captain, with Nami planting a big kiss on Luffy’s lips.  
  
 “You did it, Luffy!” she exclaimed. “You saved us!”  
  
 “I knew you had it in you, Captain!” Zoro exclaimed.  
  
 “Way to go, man!” Sanji added.  
  
 “You’re so awesome!” Chopper and Usopp cheered.  
  
 “Hooray for Big Brother!” Aika shouted.  
  
 “Yohohohoho!” Brook chortled.  
  
 “He was…mmm…SUPER~!!” Franky yelled, striking his signature pose.  
  
 Robin chuckled while Blizzard and Kumi barked happily.  
  
 “Shishishishishi!” Luffy chuckled, grinning from ear-to-ear.  
_  
~Dream end~_  
  
 Luffy smiled, making a pleasant hum as he slept soundly, surrounded by his ever loyal crew…the nightmares no longer plaguing him. He may be afraid, that might be true, but he knew that somehow, someway, he’d be able to push his way through his fear and fight back…because that’s what a captain does.

**Author's Note:**

> XD I had to do the reference at the end.


End file.
